When misunderstandings or debates arise, and that happens fairly often, it is important how to find the answer using STFW and RTFM,

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and when that fails, how (and where (CIWAS, JSMentors, c.l.js, ciwah)) to ask a [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html smart question].

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<p>Understanding defines the difference between the followers, who resort to mystical incantations or convoluted DOM libraries to do the work for them, and those who can implement project requirements, as specified, with [http://vimeo.com/12643301 clean code (Vimeo)].

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* CSS ClassName Swap

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For Styles, replace a loop that applies styles to descendants by adding a class token to the nearest common ancestor ([http://jibbering.com/faq/notes/code-guidelines/descendant-sel.html example], [http://jibbering.com/faq/notes/code-guidelines/#design explanation]).

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* Calculating Selector's Specificity

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Specificity is determined four numbers, a-b-c-d, in a number system with a large base.

count 1 if the declaration is from is a 'style' attribute rather than a rule with a selector, 0 otherwise (= a) (In HTML, values of an element's "style" attribute are style sheet rules. These rules have no selectors, so a=1, b=0, c=0, and d=0.)

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count the number of ID attributes in the selector (= b)

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count the number of other attributes and pseudo-classes in the selector (= c)

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count the number of element names and pseudo-elements in the selector (= d)

Our final jQuery-focused class touched on a number of other common plugins that are found in the wild. We took a closer look at Bootstrap and jQuery UI, and looked at plugins that make your page look super snazzy:

We continued working on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class13/lecture.zip our site] and added a sign-up form, with validation, inside the modal. We used the [http://jqueryvalidation.org/ jQuery Validation plugin]. Validation is a very common request from clients and it comes in handy to know all the tips and tricks of forms and validation, and what new HTML5 elements can provide.

We went back to the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/noiseco.zip "professional" site we'd put together a number of weeks ago] and added more functionality to it with some jQuery plugins. We first made a dialog box - or a "modal" - pop up when you click the sign up buttons. We did this by introducing [http://jqueryui.com/ jQuery UI] to make common user controls easier to create. We also added some dropdown functionality to our menus using pure CSS, but explained that jQuery UI can help out with the subtle nuances of menus.

We talked about Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a technology that allows us to talk to a server without leaving the page. jQuery makes this extremely easy. We added AJAX functionality to [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class11/lecture.zip our app we've been building on]. We used this [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class12/tweet.php.zip PHP file] to test it out.

We continued learning about jQuery by focusing on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class10/lecture.zip the example we saw last week]. We added functionality to it that made it seem more like the real thing.

We introduced jQuery, a JavaScript library that makes web programming a whole lot easier. jQuery is the most popular of many libraries that allow us to interact with the document easily, while also providing us with a few tools that are missing from the base language.

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To learn what jQuery can do, we added some scripting to [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class10/assets.zip this sample web app].

We talked about JavaScript: making web pages interactive through client-side code. We used the console, which is part of the browser's developer tools, to demonstrate the basics of the language. This and next week's class can be treated as a general introduction to programming.

We talked about file transfer: HTTP, which is the method of getting and sending information in the web browser, and SFTP, which is a method of securely uploading files to a web host.

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We set up free web hosting accounts at [https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net NearlyFreeSpeech.NET], and uploaded to them using [http://filezilla-project.org the FileZilla client].

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'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJxBeNzbvQ Lecture video]'''

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==== Class for 2013-06-03: Working from professional mockups, cont'd ====

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We continued putting our professional-looking site together from [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class5/lecture.zip where we left off]. We focused on some fancy CSS3 techniques, and we saw how to make an interactive dropdown menu with no JavaScript.

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We didn't exactly finish, but I went ahead and put on the finishing touches. [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/noiseco The final product can be found here] (but where we left off can be found in the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/lecture.zip lecture materials]).

We took the knowledge we gained from looking at the CSS box model, floats, and positioning, and worked off of something given to us by a designer (me).

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We worked off of [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup.png this mockup] and its [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup_annotations.png annotated version] to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/assets.zip Image assets can be found here].

In the last few classes, we focused on element measurements and floats. This time, we focused on positioning of elements: spacing them out from other elements using margins, and using absolute, relative, or fixed positioning to put the elements anywhere we want on the whole page.

Floating is the secret sauce behind creating websites with multiple columns, navigation menus, and basically any block element that's aligned to the left or right. We learned about floats by taking a look at some examples, then took a [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class4/mockup.png mockup] and created a site from it.

CSS selectors are probably the most complex part of the CSS language, so we looked at them further in-depth. We also talked about the box model, the display concept that makes words and containers on the web look like they do.

* Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior

* Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior

* Writing a basic HTML page

* Writing a basic HTML page

* Styling the page with basic CSS

* Styling the page with basic CSS

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* Explaining the role of frontend web development as a job and career

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* Explaining the role of front-end web development as a job and career

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No recap session for this class. Please show up '''promptly''' at or before 8pm, as physical space is limited. Bring a laptop!

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P.S. This might be the last series I teach for a while. I might take a longer break after the end of the series (in about 6 months). We'll see. But if you've been meaning to attend, this is your chance!

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'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDCjhCuNtU Lecture video]'''<br>

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'''No video for this class. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDCjhCuNtU Try last series's video.]'''<br>

Revision as of 18:48, 12 November 2013

Class for 2013-11-11: the basics

THIS is the class to attend if you are a complete beginner! We are starting the curriculum of this class from square one. We'll cover the very basics:

Explaining "front-end" vs. "back-end"

Discussing tools of the trade

Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior

Writing a basic HTML page

Styling the page with basic CSS

Explaining the role of front-end web development as a job and career

No recap session for this class. Please show up promptly at or before 8pm, as physical space is limited. Bring a laptop!

P.S. This might be the last series I teach for a while. I might take a longer break after the end of the series (in about 6 months). We'll see. But if you've been meaning to attend, this is your chance!